Posts tagged ‘climate change’
Part 3: Labor’s climate policy: so will we reach our paltry targets?
And we continue our special series on the Labor Party’s 2010 climate policies. Part one is here, and part 2 here. This edition, we discuss rewarding businesses for being responsible, chopping down trees that according to Labor don’t really exist, and we look at where we’re headed under Labor and where we need to go.
Rewarding business for energy efficiency
(hopefully they’ll turn off some lights too)
A one-off bonus tax deduction for businesses that undertake energy-efficiency capital works, starting from mid-2011. Cost of $180 million over four years, and $1 billion over a decade. Plus, in the meantime an extra $30 million for the Green Building Fund, which provides grants for retrofitting buildings. This is sensible, and could go even further. Wonder how long it will be before they start taking funding away from this one?
Rewarding business by freezing time
The government will keep emissions baselines frozen in time, rewarding businesses that reduce or constrain emissions before an ETS is introduced. If only we could freeze the entire world in time until Labor is ready to implement meaningful climate policies.
Green Start
(another embarrassing name change)
This policy replaces the Greens Loans Scheme, which offered interest-free loans to improve household energy efficiency, another scheme which had… issues. To make a fresh start (see what they did there?) Green Start scrapped the loans part and now offers energy assessments and some other vague unspecified energy efficiency help. Nobody knows, basically.
Photo: Peter Halasz
Native forest logging and logging and logging
Labor is arguing in international forums that emissions created from native forest logging should not be counted. Even though Victoria’s native forests are the most carbon rich in the world. And even though deforestation of native forests accounts for 20% of Australia’s net greenhouse gas emissions. Labor also says it is committed to a ‛net increase’ in Australia’s ‛vegetation cover’. Oooh, goody, more pine tree plantations where there used to be native forests!
Emissions target shooting
(too little, too late)
Just to recap. The IPCC is a group of scientists who issue comprehensive assessments on climate science. Their report states that to keep global warming at under 2 degrees celsius, Australia as a developed country needs to reduce emissions 40% lower than 1990 levels by 2020. HOWEVER, the IPCCs reports are always on the conservative side because it is a U.N. body and the world’s governments must approve their contents.
So here comes the really hard to take bit. Don’t worry, we’ll get through it together. (more…)
Politics in the Pub
Worried about the future? Don’t panic. Pour a drink and let’s talk.
Our next Politics in the Pub is on 29 April 6.30pm at the Edinburgh Castle with the topic ‘What Would a Sustainable World Look Like?’
- Would we be living on self sufficient farms, high density urban housing, or caves?
- Will we be working less, or working from home?
- Will we have flying cars that run on our rubbish?
- And most importantly will we have to wear white jumps suits?
Our first Politics in the Pub, held on March 23 was a great success, with new and old faces discussing climate change well into the night. There was plenty of animated discussion after a short presentation on ‘Melbourne in a Warmer World’ by author David Spratt.
Download this pdf for more details CAM_PITP_V1F_1004
Please note that this event has changed dates from Tuesday 27th to Thursday 29th April.
RET legislation: the fossils cling on for dear life
The renewable energy target bill has now been passed in Parliament, legislating that 20 percent of electricity will come from renewable sources by 2020. The scheme works by compelling electricity retailers to buy electricity from renewable sources.
Investment in electricity from tidal and wave technologies will get a boost, but the geothermal industry is voicing disappointment that no portion of the target was set aside for it. Considering the huge potential of geothermal energy in Australia, this is a kick in the teeth for large scale renewable energy production.
Industry has again put out its hand, demanding yet more government money. Under new concessions demanded by the Coalition, the number of industries to be compensated for higher electricity prices was increased from three to about 40. Once again the government kneels down before the already massively subsidised fossil fuel industry.
Incredibly, electricity from coal seam methane gas – a coal mining waste product – has been classified a renewable energy source and will earn rewards under the scheme. So coal miners are given renewable credits for burning fossil fuels.
While the government will now be patting itself on the back and promoting its green credentials to anyone willing to listen, there is a long, long way to go before Australia is free from the stranglehold of the fossil fuel industry. And a renewable energy target wouldn’t even be necessary if the market was set up to accurately reflect the true cost of carbon emissions. But that day seems a long way off.
NEWS
Solar Rebates Scheme Cancelled
The Federal Government’s solar rebate scheme was abruptly cancelled weeks ahead of schedule because it was too successful. The scheme provided rebates of up to $8,000 for the installation of solar panels.
While the public and the solar industry had been counting on a June 30 deadline, the scheme was cancelled with no industry consultation and very little notice after unexpected demand resulted in a four-fold increase to the program’s budget. Only rebate applications that were sent by midnight 9 June are eligible for assessment.
The program is to be replaced by a solar credits system, which is linked to the government’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme. Climate Change Minister Penny Wong has confirmed that there will be no rebate for solar panels until the RET scheme passes the Senate, which will be no earlier than August. Anyone who puts panels on their roof can keep the receipt and apply for a new rebate – if and when the scheme passes the Senate.
Special guests, The Wilderness Society, come to CAM.
For our next meeting we’ve invited Wilderness Society campaigners Scott and Amelia to discuss forests and climate change, as well as their plans for the upcoming 350.org international day of action on October 24th. We’ll also have a discussion about the Moreland Climate Group’s plans for our own local actions.
